When Rolex gets involved in a charity auction, collectors know to expect something special, but the newly announced ‘Four Seasons’ sale takes that idea to another level. Dreamed up alongside Rolex Testimonees Roger Federer and Leonardo DiCaprio, the upcoming auction showcases four one-off Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytonas, each inspired by one of the four seasons. Each watch is a work of art in itself, pairing precious metals with colorful natural stones, gemstones, and diamond-set details. Scheduled for September 28th in London in partnership with PHILLIPS, the auction will also put the spotlight on two causes that are particularly important to Federer and DiCaprio.
The Four Seasons auction is ultimately about where the money goes. Federer’s foundation, established in 2003, works to give children in Southern Africa and Switzerland greater access to education and opportunities to learn, play, and thrive. DiCaprio helped launch Re:wild, an organization focused on protecting and restoring the natural world alongside Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and conservation organizations. With all proceeds from the Rolex Four Seasons sale benefiting the two foundations, these four incredibly rare watches represent huge contributions toward education and environmental conservation.
Spring is represented by an 18ct white gold Rolex Daytona with a chrysoprase dial, lepidolite counters, and a bezel set with 36 purple sapphires. Summer turns up the heat with an 18ct Everose gold case, turquoise dial, heart-of-ruby counters, and pink sapphire bezel. Autumn takes a different direction with 18ct yellow gold, a mookaite dial, chrysoprase counters, and green tourmalines around the bezel. Then there’s Winter, in 950 platinum, paired with a blue opal dial, lapis lazuli counters, and a blue-to-fuchsia sapphire gradient bezel. All four also feature diamond-set lugs and crown guards, along with gemstone or diamond hour markers matching their color palettes.
The Daytona has long been tied to motorsports and driving, but these variations take the desirable chronograph to a whole new artistic realm. With only four examples being offered, the Rolex Four Seasons auction is naturally going to attract plenty of attention when they take the stage in London. For collectors, however, the bigger story may be that these are watches with a purpose beyond rarity, combining celebrity collaboration and philanthropy into four one-of-one watches.
Source: Rolex
